Oh yes you are

That's my boy out there pitching his very first baseball. His Fall Ball team started this weekend, and with it came the opportunity to throw a baseball as fast as you can and as hard as you can and not wallop another kid in the head.

This is our first year of Fall Ball, so we didn't really know what to expect. Last season was pretty stressful and the team played to win, and win we did. That translated into William never on first base, never the catcher, and sweet Jesus no way ever the pitcher. I think every pitcher on the team last season had a personal coach, a perfect game, and a shoulder wrapped in ice after each game. Maybe a steroid shot. It was THAT kind of serious season.

It caught me by surprise then when the Fall Ball coach mentioned to his assistant half way through the game that he'd run out of pitchers with experience and who could he put in. Who could he put in? Was this the moment? Suddenly I went into full-on mommy mode. I sided over to the dugout and told William to tell the coach you want to learn how to pitch. And since William pretty much does what mommy says, my little automaton, I mean son, did just that.

Good boy.

Another inning goes by and I see a dad call William over and start to teach him how to throw the ball. This dad is the dad of a great pitcher. He knew what to tell him to do and how to stand etc. Wonderful! Maybe he'll get to play some time.

Sometime turned into the next inning.

William: I...I don't think I'm quite ready to pitch yet.

Dad helper: Oh yes you are.

And so began William's journey as a baseball pitcher for one, glorious inning. Was he great? Heck no. Did he strike anyone out? Not by a mile. But he threw that ball over the plate, he didn't hit anyone in the head with it, and a couple of kids actually could hit the balls he threw. Success!!

William later recounted that the inning seemed a whole lot longer when you were the pitcher. And he overheard two boys on his team comment that William wasn't really very good (to which my boy turned around and said in his very William way: you realize this is my first time EVER pitching?).

My boy was over the moon and he got a Slurpie to boot.